Binder



y 9, 1940- E. A. TRIJssELL 2 5 Q BINDER Filed Sept. 6, 1938 FIG. 1 FIG. 6

FIG. 5 FIG.1O

IN ENTOR Q A'T'TOR NEY WLTNESSES Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BINDER Emory A. Trussell, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application September 8, 1938, Serial No. 228,471

12 Claiml.

This invention relates to binders of the ring type for note-books, blank books, pads and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved sheet-retaining binder which is of simple and durable construction and which is inexpensive to manufacture and convenient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a binder in which a ring-type binding element cooperates with a cover element in such manner as to simplify the connection of these parts and to insure the retention of the sheets.

A further object is to provide a binding element having sheet-retaining rings which can readily be closed to a circular shape and which possess ample strength to resist crushing.

The invention further consists in the severalfeatures hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating cer-' tain embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is an inside plan view of one form of binder, the cover thereof being opened flat;

Fig. 2 is a view of the closed binder, showing the back thereof;-

Fig. 3 is an end view of the closed binder, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section, and an open position of the cover being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but at an enlarged scale and with parts broken away and parts shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the binding device or element, parts being broken away;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of ablank for the binding device; v

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the perforated cover for the binder;

Figs. 8 and 9 are views showing successive stages in-the formation of the binder;

Fig. 10 is a plan view, similar to Fig'. 'I, showing a modified form of perforated cover, and

Figs. ll, 12 and 13 are views corresponding to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, respectively, but showing a modified form of binder.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1

; to 9, il designates a foldable cover having a flexible back-forming portion it provided with a series of slot-like apertures I I therein, the apertures being in spaced parallel relation and each extending transversely of the back. The cover may be formed of a single sheet of flexible material and is preferably perforated while flat, so as to avoid malformation of the back. In some instances the cover may be pressed or scored to aid the shaping of the back.

A sheet-binding element or device-comprising a back bar or connector strip I! having ring-forming fingers or prongs It thereon, is secured to the cover as hereinafter described, the fingers being adapted to hold thereon sheets which have perforations 2i near One edge. The binding element is preferably formed from a sheet metal blank as indicated in Fig. 6, the fingers I9 being integrally connected to one side edge of the back bar, and the other side edge of the back bar having notches 22 to position the rounded free ends of the flngers. The fingers have approximately the same width as the cover apertures. The back bar is preferably arched in cross-section, as seen in Figs. 3 and 5, the intermediate portion of the bar being approximately concentric with the rings but of slightly greater radius, and the opposite side edges of the bar being bent to form diverging flanges 23 and 24, thus imparting a shallow channel-shaped or trough-shaped cross-section to the back bar. The depth of the channel in the bar is approximately the same as the thickness of the bar material. The ring-forming fingers I! are integrally attached to the flange 23, and the notches 22 are formed in the other flange 24, and preferably extend the full depth of this flange. The rings formed by the flngers I9 are of circular shape when closed, and the free ends thereof fit in the corresponding notches 22 and lap the inner face of the web of the back bar, the inner face of the side flange 23 forming a stop shoulder 28 to limit the compression of the ring ends during closing and subsequently if the rings should be accidentallyplaced under pressure. The ring ends are close to, or in contact with, the inner face of the back bar web. The length of each cover slot i1 is approximately the same as, or slightly greater than, the width of the back bar I 8, and considerably less than the diameter of the rings. The construction of the binding element permits it to be made of fairly thick sheet metal.

In assembling the hinder, the binding element is applied to the cover in the manner indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, each ring being flrst bent to the shape shown in these figures, the outer arcuate portion IQ of each ring being spaced from the back bar and connected to the remaining arcuate portion of the ring by a hinging or bending portinn 28, the two arcuate portions of the'ring having equal radii but different centers of curvature. The free ends of the rings are inserted through the cover apertures H from the outer side of the cover II, as indicated in Fig. 8. The back bar side flanges 23 and 24 are then abutted the inner face of the back bar.

ed on a suitable support 21, Fig. 9, and a stack of sheets 20 is threaded onto the ring-forming fingers and is rested on the support. The fingers are then closed, as by means of a suitable pressing tool 28, causing the arcuate portions IQ of the fingers to assume the same center of curvature as the remaining arcuate finger portions, and causing the finger ends to pass through the corresponding cover apertures l1 toward the outer side of the cover back, whereupon the finger ends enter the notches 22 in the back bar and lap The pressure may be applied to the fingers until their free ends abut against the stop shoulder 25, and after the pressure is released the fingers, by reason of their resilience, spring back to their normal closed position. The cover is then folded reversely to its normal position seen in Fig. 3 and the book-forming binder is ready for use, the binder element being effectively secured to the cover without the use of any additional fastening means. In the completed binder, the concave or trough side of the back bar faces the outer side of the cover back portion. In some instances it is possible to curl the fingers 19 to their closed ringforming position.

The portions of the cover back which extend across the inner side of the back bar prevent the sheets from reaching the free ends of the rings. The ring ends are at the inner side of the back bar where they are prevented from scratching polished surfaces of tables or desks. The arched or channel shape of the back bar also avoids the exposure of sharp edges or corners.

While the sheet-binding element is particularly I useful in connection with a cover, it will be apparent that this element is also usable without the cover;

In the modified form of cover l5 shown in Fig; 10, the apertures l'l' therein are arranged in two tioningnotches I22 to receive the rounded free ends of the fingers.

The binder element, however, is applied and secured to the cover in the same manner as the binder element of Figs. 1 to 9. The form of cover shown in Fig. may also be used with the binder element of Figs. 11 to 13.

The sheets for each form of binder are here shown to have perforations of the closed type, but it will be understood that the sheets may have perforations of the slotted type permitting application or removal of the sheets after the rings are closed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A binder comprising a cover having a back portion with apertures, a back bar at the outer side of said back portion and having sheet-holding ring-forming fingers passing through said apertures and cooperating with said back bar to secure said cover to said back bar, the rings formed by said fingers being larger than the e1.- fective dimension of said apertures in a direction transverse to said back portion.

- 2. A binder comprising a cover having a back portion with slot-like apertures extending transversely of said back portion, aback bar at the outer face of said back portion and having sheetholding ring-forming fingers passing through said apertures adjacent to the opposite ends of said apertures and cooperating with said back bar to secure said cover to said back bar, the rings formed by said fingers being larger than the effective length of said apertures.

3. A binder comprising a cover having a back portion with apertures, a back bar at the outer side of said back portion and having opposite side flanges bearing against the outer side of said back portion, said bar having ring-forming fingers integrally secured to one of said flanges and having free end portions passing through said apertures and lapping the inner side of said bar, the other side flange having positioning notches receiving the free end portions of said fingers.

4. A binder comprising a cover having a back portion with apertures, a back bar at the outer side of said back portion, said bar having ringforming fingers integrally secured to one side edge and having finger-end-positioning recesses in the other side edge, said ring-forming fingers passing through said apertures and having free end portions fitting in said recesses, and the rings formed by said fingers being larger than the effective dimension 'of said apertures in a direction transverse to said back portion.

5. A binder comprising a cover having a back portion with apertures, and a back bar at the outer side of said back portion and having sheet holding ring-forming fingers integrally secured to one side edge oi. said back portion, said ring-forming fingers passing through said apertures adportion and free end portion of each finger being adjacent to opposite ends of the corresponding slot, and the rings formed by said fingers being larger than thelength of said slots.

'7. .A binder element comprising a bar of troughshaped cross-section having opposite side edges, ring-forming fingers integrally secured to one of said side edges and having free end portions lapping the inner side of said bar, the other side edge having positioning notches receiving therein the free end portions of the respective fingers, said notches presenting finger entrances at the outer side of said bar.

8. A binder element comprising a bar having opposite side flanges, ring-forming fingers integrally secured to one of said flanges and having free end portions adapted to lap the inner side of said bar, the other side flange. having position- I ing notches adapted to receive therein the free end portions of the respective fingers and having finger entrances at the outer side of the flange,

said first-named side flange forming a stop en-.

gageable by the finger ends to limit the compression of said ring-forming fingers. v

9. A binder element comprising a channel-bar having a web and opposite side flanges, ring-forming fingers integrally secured to one of said flanges and having free end portions adapted to lap the inner side of saidweb, the other side flange having notches extending substantially the depth of the flange and having finger entrances at the outer 'side of said flange and adapted to receive therein the free end portions of the respective fingers.

10. A binder element comprising a bar having a longitudinal flange along one side edge, and

ring-forming fingers integrally secured to the other side edge of said bar and having free end portions lapping the inner side of said bar, said flange having finger-end-positioning notches" 20 formed therethrough and receiving the free end portions ofsaidflngers.

11. A binder comprising a perforated cover having a back portion, and a bar extending alongand engaging the outer side, of said back portion and having sheet-holdin .ring forming iingerl integrally secured to one side edge, said ringforming fingers extending through said perforated back portion to the inner side thereof, and said her having iinger-end-positioning notches in the other side edge to receive the free end portions of said fingers.

12. A binder comprising a coverhaving a perforated back portion, sheet-holding ring-forming fingers situated inside the said back portion, and a common connector bar for said fingers extending along and engaging the outer side of said cover back portion, said ring-forming fingers passing through said perforated back portion to the inner side thereof and having free end portions adjacent to said bar.

EMORY a. TRUSSEIL. 

